Coronavirus: Eating habits affect -The role of plant nutrition

The studies, published in the scientific journals BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health and Gut, investigated eating habits that affect the coronavirus.

Professors of the Faculty of Medicine of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Lina Paschou (Assistant Professor of Endocrinology), Theodora Psaltopoulou (Professor of Therapeutics-Epidemiology-Preventive Medicine), Melpomene Peppa and Professor Thedo EKPA) summarize the main points of these studies.

With plant foods, 73% less likely to get moderate or severe coronavirus

The first study included almost 3,000 frontline healthcare workers from 6 countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, USA) exposed to COVID-19 on a daily basis. Of the participants, 568 cases of COVID-19 occurred. Of the 568 cases, 138 had moderate COVID-19. Those participants who followed a healthy diet based mainly on plant foods were found to be 73% less likely to contract moderate or severe COVID-19 (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.81). Those following a diet rich in fish and plants were 59% less likely (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.99). On the other hand, those who followed a diet rich in animal protein and fat were approximately 400% more likely to develop moderate to severe COVID-19 (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.13 to 13.24 ).

Coronavirus: Fruit and vegetable consumption is important

The second study included data from approximately 600,000 people infected with COVID-19 from the UK and US. Nutrition information was collected for the pre-epidemic period using a short food frequency and quality questionnaire, which focuses on in healthy plant foods, such as fruits or vegetables. Statistical models were used to calculate the risk and severity of COVID-19, defined by an algorithm based on symptoms or hospitalization requiring oxygen. The researchers found something similar to the first study, that those who followed a healthy plant-based diet were 41% less likely to develop severe COVID-19. Specifically, compared with people in the bottom quartile of diet score, high-quality nutrition was associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.88 to 0, 94) and severe COVID-19 (HR 0). , 59 , 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.74).

What is a plant-based diet?

What exactly do we understand by plant nutrition? It is the diet that contains mainly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, products that are as close as possible to the way they come from the earth, nature. These foods are not only low in substances that cause various diseases, but also contain thousands of other protective substances, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, retinols, lycopene with anti-cancer, adjuvant and anti-aging properties.

source: iefi merida